19th August 2024 Daily Current Affairs
1. Which country has recently introduced the ‘AIM-174B’, an extremely long-range air-to-air missile, in the Indo-Pacific?
[B] US
[C] Japan
[D] India
Correct Answer: B [US]
Notes:
The US Navy’s new AIM-174B missile aims to counter China’s aerial dominance. It’s an air-launched version of the SM-6 missile and was introduced in July 2024 by Raytheon. This long-range air-to-air missile can strike targets up to 400 km away, exceeding the range of China’s PL-15. Deployed in the Indo-Pacific, it supports US power projection amid rising regional tensions. The AIM-174B targets high-priority ground objects like air defense sites and warships, operating in a quasi-ballistic manner.
2. What is ‘Californium’, recently seen in news?
[A] A new technology to search dwarf planets[B] Machine learning model
[C] A highly radioactive element
[D] It is a unique strain of antibiotic-resistant bacteria
Correct Answer: C [A highly radioactive element]
Notes:
Bihar police recently seized 50 grams of californium, a highly radioactive element. Californium is a synthetic, silvery-white metal with atomic number 98, first synthesized in 1950 at the University of California, Berkeley. It is not naturally occurring and is produced by bombarding curium with helium ions. It is known for its intense radioactivity. Californium is valuable but hazardous. It is used in starting nuclear reactors, detecting metal fatigue in airplanes, and treating certain cancers. Californium’s isotopes include Cf-251, the most stable with a half-life of 898 years, and is used in various industrial and scientific applications.
